NBC Afraid of Commercial?

I received an email today from T. Boone Pickens that contained an ad he wanted NBC to run. NBC declined the 15 second spot. I think for a mere 15 seconds, the ad says a lot and could inspire our country to do more to become less dependent on foreign oil. This is the ad. See how it feels to you.

Michelle Obama; I Think I Like Her

I generally only watch a little bit of the Presidential Conventions. I find them a bit boring, but last night I tuned in in time to see Michelle Obama's speech. I thought the speech was very supportive of her family, her country, and her political party and her husband--of course it would be. What was most attractive to me about her, is that although I am not a lawyer or anything of such importance (just a stay at home mom of four girls--right now) she seemed like someone who is very much like me; someone who could have been my friend in high school, or in a mother's group, or at church or something. I liked the speech. I liked that when her daughters came out on stage, they were very much like my nine and six year old girls. It was good. It felt comforting to finally, after eight years of all these nonsense we have been enduring, to have someone normal, someone like me, say something that I could listen to and start dreaming of something different; something positive. Michelle Obama; I like her.

Back To The Same Old. . .

The Olympics are over, so now the world seems a little less exciting. My girls will go back to school next week, and we will most likely fall back into the some old school year routine. The new season of television shows will be starting, and so it goes. Life will be back to the same old hum-drum. Oh, wait a minute! I forgot that this is a presidential election year. Now we can look forward to neverending political ads that don't give you any information, and tons of telephone calls during the dinner hour from various polls wanting to know how I am going to vote. I think I will prefer the same old, same old.

Funny Bonnie

As a little follow-up for Bonnie Hunt fans, I thought you might enjoy these clips. Also, if you don't know who Bonnie is, these are just a small sampling of Bonnie's genius.

>

Thank you Eric from M80 Warner Bros. for contacting me.

Women's Beach Volleyball The Best!

Last night was one of the most satisfying nights of Olympics activities. After watching the scoring troubles in the women's gymnastics and the showboating in the men's track and field events, it was refreshing to (once again) see Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh walk out onto the rain drenched sand and play another exciting, entertaining and dignified game in this Olympiad. They make a great team and just work like a machine. Their attitude is that they are out there to win, but win graciously. They show so much poise and grace and sportsmanship that we Americans should be proud that they were representing our country. I have been a little disappointed in the men's beach volleyball team of Todd Rogers and Phil Dahlhausser because they just don't show enthusiasm and love of the game like May-Treanor and Walsh. The great thing about beach volleyball is that it is quick, keeps you interested and has plenty of excitement. I am so proud of the women's team. Their goal was to win a gold medal again; it was clear from the beginning that they were determined to reach that goal. What a great example of goal-setting, hard work, and sportsmanship. It was so great to see them congratulate their Chinese opponents and then just let loose with the giddy thrill of their accomplishment. That is what the Olympic games is all about! The picture says it all.

Big Foot Discovery a Hoax

We kinda knew this would be the verdict: the Bigfoot discovered in Georgia is a hoax. My question about it is this: why didn't the guys who bought this thing take a good look at it before claiming it was the real deal. Afterall, it was a frozen rubber gorilla suit! Good grief! I bet those guys who paid money for it are feeling pretty foolish right about now. I'm sort of glad it was a hoax; I still like a good urban legend story. Now about that chupacabra. . .

Tom Cruise in Tropic Thunder?

I have been seeing a lot of ads for the movie "Tropic Thunder" lately. I have also been reading about how it is offending a couple of groups of people, i.e. mentally handicapped people because they use the word "retard" a lot, and black people because Robert Downey Jr. wears dark make-up to play a black man. Now I am reading that Tom Cruise has a cameo in it that is starting a comeback for him. This movie seems to be running the gamut. I was wondering if anyone has seen it (other than critics) and what their opinion is of the movie. Just wondering. If you have an opinion, please leave a comment.

Very Strange Chevy Traverse Commercial

Okay, so you know I have been watching the Olympics since August 8th, and over the course of the last ten days or so, there have been many, many commercials shown. There are some that are clever and funny, some that are irritating, some that are stupid, and some, well you just have to scratch your head and say, "What in the world were they thinking?" One such commercial is the one for the new Chevrolet Traverse. It looks to me like it is a crossover vehicle that is being touted as "best in class" for fuel effieciency and passenger room. The commercial just has me befuddled because it shows this good looking guy ironing while he is talking on the telephone. You can hear him say "six months," still with that rather queer smile/smirk on his face. Then he tosses up the item he has been ironing and it looks like a little girl's dress. If that isn't weird enough, after all the blah, blah blah about this Traverse vehicle, the last shot is of this guy on his hands and knees scrubbing out a black toilet in what looks like a public restroom. I just don't get it. I have seen the darn thing countless times and have tried to study it to figure out what the ad is all about, but it just doesn't make any sense. My twelve year old might have been onto something when she said that maybe the guy was supposed to be the car, I don't know it just seems like the ad team that came up with this one was really struggling to get an idea and just went with this stupid thing. For me, it certainly does not make me want to even investigate the car. The commercial is just that creepy and weird. Sorry, Chevy, you really blundered on this one, and to top it all off, I think the car is kind of, well ugly, clunky looking and boring. Just take a look at it for yourself--PU!

Bonnie Hunt Show is Coming September 8th!

I have a lot to look forward to after the Olympics are over. The first thing is that the girls will be going back to school in a couple of weeks and this is the first year I will have the whole school day to myself since my youngest will be in school all day. The second thing I have to look forward to is the premeire of "The Bonnie Hunt Show" on NBC daytime. I have loved Bonnie since the first time I saw her. You might recognize her from the "Beethoven" movies, "The Green Mile", or from her short lived sitcom, "Life With Bonnie." I think she is the funniest, most sincere television personalities out there. She is perhaps even funnier than Ellen DeGeneres. I think the show will be a hoot. She is just a naturally funny person and I love to watch her in action. The show is on NBC and the website is http://www.thebonniehuntshow.com/ if you want to see some funny clips or get tickets to her show. I can't wait for September 8th!

Newest Addition: Nintendo Wii

Isn't it strange how sometimes when you go shopping you end up buying something you had no intention to buy? That happened yesterday. My husband and I decided, after playing with my nephew's Wii this summer, that a Wii would be something our family would get a lot of use out of. We told the girls that this year for Christmas, if we could get our hands on one, the big Christmas gift for all of us would be a Nintendo Wii game system. Great! I just sort of casually look for things just to determine how difficult it will be to get that item when we want it. Yesterday, on our trek to Target to get school supplies and medicine, I decided to check in the electronics area to see if they might have a Wii. Sure enough, there were two systems behind that locked cabinet. I put a call into my husband to see if he wanted me to get it since the opportunity was there. As luck would have it, he had a 10% off coupon that we frequently get from Target, so he met us at the store and the rest, as they say, is history. Of course the thing wasn't going to sit in our closet, unopened, for the next four months, so we set it up and we told the girls that it was an early Christmas gift. Hopefully, when December rolls around, they won't forget that they have already gotten the bulk of their gifts. Now, for years to come, we will have Christmas and birthday gift ideas since the accessories and games appear to be endless. Wii wants to play!

Chupacabra and Big Foot! Whoa!

Strange happenings are afoot these days. Video footage of what could be the legendary chupacabra creature has been making the rounds on the internet, and now this morning, I saw news that the creature known as Big Foot may have been found in Georgia! There is a picture of the dead creature that looks like it has been thawed out after having been kept in some kind of freezer. Supposedly, there is going to be a news conference this Friday discussing the find. DNA tests are also being performed. As far as the Chupacabra thing--it's a little creepy/scarey-looking. It looks like it could really chomp down on its prey, but then again, a coyote could do the same. I'm not sure what I think about these creatures who are thought to be urban legends being found. There is something about it that just feels like a let-down; like there is no more mystery in the world. At any rate, there will probably be more news to come.

Olympics Worth Staying Up For

My eyes are a little puffy, with dark circles more noticeable this morning because I stayed up to watch the Olympics last night. After hearing the reports of the French men's swimming team talking trash about "smashing" the Americans, there was no way I was going to miss the relay race! The race was nothing short of spectacular and definitely worth staying up past midnight for. And, the other cool thing about the race is the show of great sportsmanship by Jason Lezak, who anchored the American team. It is his extra effort that is going to help his teammate, Michael Phelps move on toward his gold medal goal. It just makes the spectacle of the competitions that much more intriguing and makes me even more proud to be an American. Go U.S.A.!

Opening Ceremony Tonight on NBC! Go USA!

Tonight is the night we have been waiting for for the last four years! The opening ceremony for the 2008 Olympics in Beijing, China begins at 7:30 tonight. At our house, this is a big occasion and I have planned our dinner (pizza) around the event. Everything we are having is food we can eat while watching television. Normally, in our family, the rule is that we sit at the kitchen table with the tv off, and eat dinner together. For the next two weeks, that rule will be a little more relaxed so that we can see all the sporting events. Pretty weird, I know, but I just love the Olympics and want my children to have good memories of them just like I have. Go team USA!

AdSense Drought

Wow, I've hit a drought with regard to my Adsense earnings. I had been going along at a nice little clip, earning a little money each month. It all adds up, you know. Now, it seems I've got nothing. Things are really slow. I guess the rotten economy has had an effect on even my little old ads. Bummer. I guess I will have to try write less about my boring life and more about stuff that is going to generate income. Too bad, I rather like just writing whatever I feel like :-( Back to checking Google Trends.

8-8-08 Lucky Olympics? Let's Hope So!

The Olympic games always seems to bring out a certain excitement in me. When I was a little girl, my family watched the Olympics and talked about them and just all around enjoyed the every four year event. This year is no different for me, only this time, I am a little worried. China has always seemed a rather mysterious and exotic place to me, and I have to shamefully admit that I know very little about China and the Chinese culture. I was reading a little article about how the Chinese believe that the start date for the Olympics: eight minutes after the eighth hour of the eighth day of the eighth month, is lucky--except of course if you were born under the astrological sign of the Rat, in which case, astrologists suggest that you wear a pendant of an Ox to ward off clashes with those who were born under the sign of the Horse. These sorts of ideas serve to make China seem more unusual and strange to me. At any rate, I am looking forward to the couple of weeks of sporting competition. Regardless of what year it is and how lucky the Chinese seem to think it is, I sure hope their claims of safety and security for the athletes and observers are true and that these 29th Olympic Games are remembered only for the records that were set, and the great competitions that took place instead of one of political disaster and mayhem.

Gene Simmons & Shannon Tweed Are Great Parents!

I have never been a big fan of the band KISS, but lately, I have been addicted to the cable show, Gene Simmons: Family Jewels. Gene Simmons and his partner of 25 years, Shannon Tweed are just good parents. Their teenage kids seem so grounded for having a shock rocker for a dad, and a Playboy Playmate for a mother. They seem to love their parents and respect them. Sure, there is a smattering of bad language from the son, Nick, but the dynamics of the family is a great example of how communicating openly and using humor instead of anger can make a family strong. The show is full of funny stuff--all four family members have a sense of humor, and poor Gene is always embarrassing his wife and kids. The family works and it is great to see, especially these days when "celebrities" are saturating the cable channels with all their drama and antics about their lives. The all seem so unstable and self-centered, wanting to shove their very young children into the spotlight. At least the Simmons/Tweed family is more focused on making sure the kids are safe and happy and they seem more "normal" than most of the other celebrity parents out there. Gene Simmons: Family Jewels airs on the A&E channel on Sunday nights at 9:30, it is an entertaining show and I have learned a few things about parenting from it, believe it or not!

Traveling Is Over

After a month of visiting and traveling, we are finally "home" in Virginia. We were gone so long, I forgot which cupboards my pots and pans and utensils are in! Even though we don't feel like this is home, it feels good to be back with all my things and to see my little dog again!